Rumors Circulate About Polk's Stay In Office

May 16, 1985|By Leslie Kemp of The Sentinel Staff

SANFORD — Although Seminole County Sheriff John Polk was re-elected without opposition to a fifth term last year and plans to run again in 1988, rumors already are circulating about how long he will stay in office and who will be his successor.

This week, two top sheriff's officials said they would like the job, but won't seek it until Polk steps down.

When rumors of his career are mentioned, Polk just smiles and shakes his head, adding that no matter how hard he tries he can't stop the talk. Wednesday, he pledged to remain in office until 1988 when ''I fully intend to run again.''

And after that?

''I'm 53 now,'' Polk said, adding that he would like to remain sheriff for ''as long as I feel that I have something to give to the department and to the citizens of Seminole County.''

The latest story to make the gossip rounds predicts that Polk will retire in the middle of his current term and help an ally be appointed to the job.

''There's no basis for that,'' Polk said. ''I'd never run for office and ask people to elect me and then step down to get somebody appointed. It is not fair to the people who elected me. I've heard it three or four times and tried to put it to rest.''

Other rumors of imminent retirement center on Polk's 1978 double-bypass heart operation. However, Polk said he is feeling fit. After a physical this month he said his doctor's only advice was to exercise more.

Some of the rumors may be wishful thinking on the part of would-be sheriff's candidates. Polk is a powerful county politician and considered unbeatable at the polls. The last time he drew election opposition was in 1972. He was first elected to the four-year office in 1968.

Every election year, Seminole residents begin to wonder if Polk will run again, who will oppose him, and if he doesn't run, who the next sheriff will be. Last year, Polk said two people rumored to be potential candidates instead became contributors to his re-election campaign fund. Although several sheriff's employees are interested in their boss' title, the two most potential candidates are Capt. Harold ''Beau'' Taylor and communications chief John Spolski, Polk said.

This week both confirmed their interest, but said until Polk steps down they will be his loyal supporters.

''As long as he Polk decides to stay as sheriff, I'm his number one supporter,'' said Spolski, a 10-year sheriff's employee. Spolski, 55, added that his election interest may wane by the time Polk retires. ''In eight years' time an awful lot can happen.''

''I want to run for the office because I want to serve the people,'' said Taylor, who supervises divisions ranging from personnel to records to crime prevention. ''I told Polk that last year -- that I was interested when he didn't run anymore.''

Taylor and Spolski said their future goals won't affect their work relationship with the sheriff, and Polk said he has met with both men to ensure that.

''I advised them that the welfare of this department comes before their ambitions and my ambitions,'' Polk said. ''Everybody's got a right to run for sheriff, but if the department got split about who they'd support -- that's what I won't tolerate.''

Once Polk steps down, however, there may be a political free-for-all. Polk notes that when a long-time Escambia County sheriff left office four years ago, 19 people ran for the office -- the majority of them sheriff's employees.